How to Avoid and Treat Acute Mountain Sichness in a Tibet Tour

About Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), it normally a slight reaction will take place for sure especially for the travelers who come to Tibet for the first time. AMS represents the body's intolerance of the hypoxic (low oxygen) environment at one's current elevation. the typical symptoms would appear on the facets like headache, dizzy, feels of to be disgusted, vomit and etc. but if only do you follow the necessary instructions from our tour guide and everything should be okay. And the major cause of AMS is going too high too fast. Given time, your body can adapt to the decrease in Oxygen molecules at a specific altitude. This process is known as acclimatization and generally takes 1-3 days at that altitude. And when acclimatization lags significantly behind ascent, various symptoms occur. To prevent of the Altitude Illness, the most important thing is you can't over-exert yourself or move higher for the first 24 hours and you'd better not to take any activities for the first day in Tibet. Normally you will regain normal sense on the second day upon your arrival.

Tips to Avoid and Treat AMS:

1) Do exercises to keep you fit before taking a Tibet tour.

2) Avoid catching a cold before you entry to Tibet.

3) Make sure you have a good sleep the night before you flying to Lhasa;

4) After getting off your airplane in the airport, walk slowly, take some deep breath. Do not do anything severely.

5) Buy a small oxygen cylinder when arrive in Tibet. (If you think it is necessary, but don't bring from your county because you will be forbidden before boarding the plane.).

6) Ascend to higher altitude gradually. DO NOT ASCEND ANY HIGHER if you feel bad.

7) Prepare some AMS pills according to your doctor's suggestion.

8) Avoid drinking coffee or alcohol, don't take cigarettes, and taking sleeping pills in the high altitude areas.

11) Take the prescribed medication before reaching Tibet and continue to take the medication upon arrival there.

12) Diamox® 125 mg. tablets taken twice a day is F.D.A. approved for prevention and treatment of A.M.S. Although it originally was released as a diuretic (water pill), it also helps you breath deeper and faster. This allows you to get more oxygen. Diamox is especially helpful with the sleeping problems and other symptoms of A.M.S. Avoid sleeping pills because they may cause shallow breathing at night and make it more difficult for your body to absorb oxygen while you sleep.

13) Use Oxygen to relieve symptoms.

14) If nothing else works, return to the areas with the lower elevation.